Kiln



M. M. MlNTEER KILN Filed July 17, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 N w kwx KAN Okmlkq INVENTOR jfMM'nl'er WITNESSES @44114 ATTORNEYS July 27, 1926.1,594,315

M, M; MINTER KILN Filggd July 17 1925 4 Sheets-Sht 5 WITNESSES IINVENTOR X & Mlflfi Mm ATTORNEYS 'URICE M. WINTER, F COLU'US,

Application filed July 17, 1925. Serial Wadlfltfl.

My present invention relates generally to kiln systems for burning brickand other clay or composition ware, and more particularly to acontinuous kiln system of a the type described and claimed in my Patent#1372495, granted July 16, 1918, over which my present system proposesoperating advantages in respect to elasticity, econextent,

I omy and in certain other respects. 1

Among the many ob ects of my invention probably the most important isthe provision of an apparatus in the use of which waste of heat ma beeliminatedto a great provision eing made for the ready easy col of suchheat as may not be needed in any other kiln so that the heat thuscollected may be transferred for use at another point for instance inthe preliminary drying of een ware.

Anot er object is the provision of an apparatus by means of whichpractically unlimited range is permitted in the selection and inclusionor exclusion of certain kilns in the operating series, proper regulationmay be easily obtained and maximum ef- .ficiency maintained at alltimes.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my present invention andform a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a perspective diagram of the system,

Figure 2 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal sectionthereof,

Figure 3 is a partial vertical longitudinal section on an enlargedscale, taken subsubstantially on line 44: of Figure 2,

' Figure 1 is a vertical cross section taken substantially on line 4-4:of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal section through one of the kilns,

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section partially through one of thekilns taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5, and

Figures 7, 8, 9 and are detail sections taken respectively on lines 77,8-8, 9-9, and 10-10-of Figure 5.

Referring now to these several figures, my invention proposesa series ofkilns 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 21, each having a central outlet 22 in itsbase communicating with an outlet flue 23, and each having the usualcircular wall 24 and crown 25 with openings 26 and loadingdoors 27, thelatter and the openings 26-"being walled up except when thekiln is cooafter the ware has been ection from any kiln of the series burnt andduring withdrawalot the finished ware and loading of the kiln with greenware.

1 The outlet fines 23 of the several kilns are in communication byindependent-induction branch flues 28 with a main induction flue I 29,with one point of which an induction fan 30 communicates, each inductionbranch flue 28 having therein a damper 31.

Each kiln outlet flue 23 is in communica tion with the inlet flue 32 ofthe next adjacent kiln in one direction through a damper 33 and theseveral inlet lines 32 are in communication with a header 34: throughheader branch fines 35 having therein dampers 36.

Moreover, each inlet fine 32 is in com- -,municati0n with a surroundingWarm air line 37, encircling the entire series of kilns, by virtue of abranch warm air flue 38 having therein a damper 39, and each inlet flue32 has a damper 40 between the kiln into which it opens andthe adjacentends of the branch fines 35 and 38.

The Warm air or waste heat flue 37 may have one or more outlets 41 whichIcontemplate shall, in practice, extend to a dryer .where the greenmaterial is initially, dried before loading in'the kilns.

It is thus obvious that each kiln may be connected up by manipulation ofthe damp ers so as to operate in connection with any one or more of theother kilns of the series in a manner which will presently ap;

ear.

Each of the kilns has an ,a'nnularflseries of regularly spaced openings4:2 which form the fire doors having the usual inner upright baffle orbag walls 43 best shown in several fire doors with which it is connectedby vertical and horizontal air channels 4:6

and 47, the former extending upwardly be tween the fire doors and'thelatter extending from the upper ends of the former into the fire doorsand opening downwardly therein through opposite sides'ofthe table,

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the final outlet of these channels being flared as indicated at 48. 1Each supply flue 45 is entered at a midway point by the respective inletflue 32 and each supply flue is intended to supply substantially thesame amount of heated air orproducts to the several fire doors itserves. Sinceall of the channels 46 and 47 are the same size, and it ismuch moresimple and economical to so form them, I preferably utilizechoker blocks 49 in the horizontal channels 47 of each fire door and ofgradually and successively decreasing size from Opposite sides of therespectiveinlet flue 32 as will be plainly seen by a comparison ofFigures to 10 inclusive.

In the present embodiment of my invention, the induction flue 29 isconstructed below and along the header 34 andthe header branch fines 35are level below the surface of the ground with the induction'branchflues 28, the latter having drops 50 as most plainly shown in Figure 4by which they enter the induction flue 29.

Thus, in operation, kiln 18, for instance, being ready to burn, theloading doors 27 and openings 26 are closed while the fire doors 42above and below tables 44 are open. Fires are started in these doorsboth on and below the tables 44 and dampers 33 and of the outlet flue ofthis kiln and the inlet flue of kiln 19 are closed. Damper 36 is closedand damper 31 of the adjacent induction branch flue 28 is opened, thusconnecting the outlet 22 of kiln 18 with the induction flue 29 through23, 28, and drop 50, the draft being discharged into the atmosphere'through the induction fan 30. #19 kiln being then loaded and ready forheat from #18 kiln, #19 kiln is closed at all points, inlets, doors, andfire boxes from the entry of air except through the supply flue 45thereof; damper 31 of the branch induction flue of kiln 18 is closedwhile the dampers 33 and 40 between kilns 18 and 19 are open. Dampers 31of the branch induction flue 28 of kiln 19 is then opened, and theaction of the induction fan will be such as to draw from the inductionflue 29 through the branch 28 of kiln 19, from the outlet 22 of thiskiln thus causing the heat from kiln 18 to pass through the outlet 22thereof and through its outlet flue 23.direct, into the inlet flue 32 ofkiln 19 and thus into the'supply flue 45 of the latter kiln, the heat sopassing into the kiln 19 being regulated in the graduated sup lychannels so that it is evenly distribute around the kiln for dischargedownwardly through the ware and uniform action thereon. A positivecirculation is thus maintained in both kilns 18 and 19, which maycontinue during the burning of the ware in kiln 18 and also after theware has been burned and during its cooling, and it is obvious thatthe'same operation may be the purpose of utilizing the heat of theburning kiln for the preheating or water smoking of the ware in thesecond kiln.

Where any kiln having therein heat to be withdrawn is at the properpoint for withdrawal of this heat at a time when the other kilns are notin position to need this heat or all of it, the heat may be permitted topass into the low temperautre or waste heat flue 37 by opening thedamper 39 as well as the damper 33 so as to place the outlet of therespective kiln in open communication with the flue 37 through therespective branch flues 38.

It is not necessary that a regularly progrcssive. action be maintainedas by means of the branch flues and their dampers and by the utilizationof a header 34 such as I have described, it is possible to cool kiln 18by withdrawing the heat therefrom through forinstance kiln 21, whilekiln 19 is burning and the draft therefor maintained through kiln 20,both volumes, that is, the heat and draft going to the induction flueand to the atmosphere-through the induction path. After water smokingthe ware in kiln,

21 during the cooling of kiln 18 and burning the ware in kiln 19 throughkiln 20, as described, kiln 20 will be ready to fire, for instancethrough kiln 21 while the remaining heat of kiln 18 may be passed to thelow temperature or waste heat 37 for passage through itsoutlet flue 41to the drier.

By closing damper 40 and opening dampers '31, 33 and 39 the cooling ofkiln 18 above mentioned, may be accelerated as one volume of heat willthen pass to the induction flue and to atmosphere through the inductionfan-and one volume will pass to the low temperature flue 37, and at thesame time kiln 19 may be supplying a volume of heat to preheat air forcombustion in the fire boxes of kiln 20 with damper 40 between kilns 19and 20 half open and damper 36 adjacent thereto also half open.Obviously, the firing in any kiln may take place by the supply ofpre-heated air to the combusion spaces below the tables 44 of the firedoors while cool air from the atmosphere passes across the fire upon thetables 44. In fact a great many variations may be accomplished, withimprovement in the final result 'as the object, by manipulating thedampers and firing the several kilns either direct or through one ormore other kilns.

Biy firing regulated amounts of fuel, several kilns in a line may befired at the same time without obstruction and a ie ducing. orcarbonizing atmosphere or in other words, an excess of carbon may bemaintained in one kiln wlnle an oxidizing atmosphere is maintained inanother kiln through a third kiln to the induction flue.

All of the kilns may be cooled direct to the atmosphere in the usualmanner with all dampers closed and doors and fire boxes open, or may becooled into the low temperature flue 37 or'into the induction flue andto the atmosphere through the induction tan. Each kiln may be cooledthrough one or more of the other kilns either for the purpose'of watersmoking, preheating of the hit) supply of preheated air for combustion,

without any regard to regular or progres-' sive action so that thesystem as of old will thus be elastic to a maximum degree in so far asselection and operation is concerned, and in order that waste andshut-downs may be avoided, and the burning of the ware accomplished in ahighly eflective and especially economical manner.

I claim I 1. In apparatus of the character described, a kiln having firedoors at spaced points thcrearound and having a supply flue extendingtherearound below the said firedoors and closed at its ends, said kilnhaving an inlet flue opening centrally into the supply hue and havingsupply channels leading upwardly from the supply flue between the firedoors, and other supply channels leading horizontally from said firstnamed channels and opening into opposite sides of the fire doors.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a kiln having fire doors atspaced points therearound and having 'a supply flue extendingtherearound below the said fire doors and closed at its ends, said kilnhaving an inlet flue opening centrally into the supply flue and havingsupply channels leading upwardly from the supply flue between the firedoors, and other supply channels leading horizontally from said firstnamed channels and opening into opposite sides of the firedoors, each ofsaid fire doors having a table thereacross dividing the same into upperand lower combustion spaces, the outlet ends or" the last mentionedchannels opening through opposite sides or the tables into the lowerwmbustion spaces.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a kiln having fire doors atspaced points therearound and having a supply flue extending therearoundbelow the said fire doors and closed atits ends, said kiln having aninlet flue opening centrally into the supply flue and having supplychannels leading upwardly from the supply flue between the fire doors,and other supply channels leading horizontally from said first namedchannels and openinginto opposite sides ofthe fire doors, each of saidfire doors having a table thereacross dividing the same into upper andlower combustion spaces, the outlet ends of the last mentioned channelsopening through opposite s'ides of the tables into the lower "combustionspaces, and having therein means to graduate the supply throughsaid'channels to the several fire doors upon opposite sides of the inletflue.

4. In apparatus ofthe character described, a kiln having fire doors: andtables across the fire doors dividing the same into upper and lowercombustion spaces, said kiln having an inlet flue and a supply flue intowhich the inlet flue opens and also having supply channels communicatingbetween the said supply flue and its several fire doors.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a kiln having fire doors andtables across the fire doors dividing the same into upper and lowercombustion spaces, said kiln having an inlet flue and a supply flue intowhich the inlet flue opens and also having supply channels communicatingbetween the said supply flue and its several fire doors, and openingthrough opposite sides of the tables into the lower combustion spacesthereof, as described;

6. In apparatus of the character described, a kiln having fire doors andtables across the fire doors dividing the same into upper and lowercombustion spaces, said kiln having an inlet flue and a supply flue intowhich the inlet flue opens and also having supply channels communicatingbetween the said supply line and its several fire doors, and openinginto the lower combustion spaces of the fire doors, said channels havingmeans to graduate the supply of air to the several fire doors and renderthe same uniform as described.

7. In a kiln system, a series of kilns having connecting ducts eachincluding the out let duct of one kiln and the inletv duct of the nextkiln throughout the series, a pair of dampers spaced from one another ineach connecting duct, a header common to the 8. In a kiln system, aseries of kilns having connecting ducts each including the outletduct-of one kiln and the inlet duct of the next kiln throughout theseries, a pair of dampers spaced from one another in'each connectingduct, a header common to the several kilns, having damper controlledbranch flues in communication with the several kiln connecting ductsbetween the dampers of the latter, and a waste heat fiue having branchfines communicating with the said kiln ducts also between the dampers ofthe latter, said waste heat flue extending around the series of kilnsand having one or more outlets as described. f

9. In a kiln system, a series of kilns having inlet and'outlet ductsconnecting and communicating with one another between the kilns, aninduction flue having draft induc ing means and having a series ofbranch flues communicating with the outlet ducts of the kilns, dampersin said branch fiues, a header common to the several kilns, havingbranch flues in communication with the several inlet ducts of the kilns,dampers in said latter flues, dampers in the said ducts between the saidbranch fines, dampers in the ducts between the header fiues and theinlets of adjacent kilns and a waste heat flue having damper controlledcommunication with. theseveral kilns at points between the dampers ofthe several connecting ducts.

'10. In a kiln system, a series of kilns having inlet and outlet ductsconnecting and communicating with one another between the kilns, a pairof spaced apart dampers con trolling communication between the outletduct of each kiln and the inlet duct of the next kiln throughout theseries, an induction flue having draft inducing means and having aseries of damper controlled branch flues in communication with theoutlet ducts of the kilns between the outlets thereof and the dampersthereof nearest to said outlets, a header common to the several kilnshaving damper controlled branch flues in communication with the kilnducts between the dampers of the latter, and a waste heat flue :lsohaving damper controlled branch fiues communicating with the said kilnducts be tween the dam ers of the latter.

"IMAURICE M. MINTER.

